I hate computers.

I've been off for a while cause the operating system on my computer was deteriating. finally, it refused to boot.

Changed to a different flavor of operating system, went from one linux for another and I'm finally back. Well not all applications are back on nor are my data but at least I can surf for now.

How does an average person deal with all the headaches of computer ownership? I'm more than competent to handle computer problem but this is just crazy.

This year, had to replace my partners computer. Changed from XP to Windows 7, transferred the data, re install all her aps... Then last month one of her hard drive crashed. Good think I had made a backup so went to the back up. She lost maybe two weeks worth of work.

Me? also changed my 10+ year old computer and upgraded to more recent version of linux. Part of the 500G hard drive wend bye bye and had to replace. Then the operating system became unstable and finally crashed ungracefully.

Upgraded our network from 802.11g to 802.11n, upgraded the security with no broadcast and disabled wifi protected setup.

An average person can't deal with such things... So what does an average person do or how much do they pay?? I can't begin to imagine what it is like.

Heh. This average person pours hot tea into her laptop, turns the computer off, wipes it off, turns it upside down to drain if it needs to, puts it in indirect sun for a few hours, crosses her fingers and so far it's working. :o

No idea what other average persons do.

Good point, smilingcat. I think the average person, sometimes gives up....and buys a new compuer eventually in a few years. And doesn't use the "problematic" computer in a fullsome way.

Or like one of my sisters, they become computer illiterate because they had a computer years ago but couldn't afford to have it serviced, etc. She only uses a computer to check in people (as a receiptionist) for her job. She's not even on email or Internet at home. She has a home mortgage to pay solo.

I used to deal with my own computer at home but had been relying heavily on my partner since I have a desktop.

However I can see myself getting a laptop and hooking up to a keyboard in the distant future. Not now. At least if the laptop crashes, I can bring it in more easily for service.

I just don't like laptops because ergonically they don't feel comfortable for many prolonged hrs. of computer work. I also know that I'm not the type of person that enjoys dragging in a laptop into a coffee shop just the surf for fun or to look at my personal email. I'd rather do that at home.

I consider myself an average person when it comes to computers. The short answer to your question: we buy new ones.

A couple of weeks ago, my 5-year old very heavily-used laptop offered me three Blue Screens of Death in one week. I work from home and cannot take time to learn about computers. I just need mine to work.

The last BSoD happened the day before I left on vacation. there was nothing I could do but enjoy my vacation.

When I got back, I ordered a new computer and it arrived a couple of days later. The old one seems to work again for the moment, but I called a computer shop and explained what happened and they said it likely needs a new hard drive--$300. I will get it fixed so I can use it as a back up computer.

While I know next to nothing about computers and don't particularly care to know much more, I do defrag and back up on an external HD regularly. That is helpful. All my work stuff is stored on far away servers, so no work was lost.

I'm fortunate that the macbook I bought after college has worked fairly well for the last 6 years. I haven't updated it enough, and it's almost at the point where I can't do much to make it modern, but it's worked. My work computers, on the other hand...I went through 5 laptops in 2 years. The fifth one is still working 3 years later, but I've had to ship it back to our IT guy once because of some virus or another - it had blocked the internet so effectively that he couldn't remotely log in and fix it. Had it been my own...I probably would have given up.

Who keeps a computer for 10 years? :) Technology is pretty much outdated every 6 months. I generally get a new pc every 3 years or so. It's much cheaper to get a new one than to upgrade and have all that hassle. I store things like pics and music "the cloud." For other stuff there's always Carbonite or similar setups.

I also get a new phone every year and make my partner get one every 2 years. I like being current in my technology.

I don't agree, thekarens. My laptop was great over the past five years and I did not want to replace it. If I had had time to get it fixed while I was on vacation, that would have been ideal. But I had to buy a new one because I didn't have a backup and i couldn't not work while it was being fixed. Once I get the old one fixed, it will be the backup when my new one needs fixing (that better be a long time from now).

New phone every year?? Wow, that seems like a waste to me. I have an iPhone 4, but that's just because I dropped my 3 one too many times. I must admit, though, I was SO happy to get rid of AT&T, and that was a very welcomed upgrade.

Thekarens, I don't want to ever fall into the expensive trap of buying new, better technology that often: I can't afford it. I have a mortgage to pay off and eventually I should continue to manage my finances towards retirement which is a long way off, but close enough I can't do wasteful stuff like that.

I haven't yet acquired a cellphone. (nor a tv).

I had been using a computer for 8 yrs. but now it's noticeably slow. But we'll use it until it dies. I'm disappointed that computers nowadays cannot perform well beyond 8-10 yrs. unless one is a serious geek and knows how to upgrade parts of it. (And my partner does have enough techie geekiness in him that he can upgrade parts ...but still he can't cope with hobbling 10 yr. old machine.)

So he has 2 computers, 1 Mac laptop that is 3 yrs. old, his 10 yr. desktop which will be replaced within 18 months. When things fail, he uses my 8 yr. old desktop computer when I'm not home.

When I moved to another province, I bought a new desktop computer which I love for its speed, memory and larger monitor. Hope it lasts at least another 5-8 yrs. Seriously. I have no interest buying another brand new computer any time soon.

At work, I was given a laptop which is attached to....2 computer monitors to allow me to toggle among different programs, documents for efficiency.

Then I was given an iPad at work a few months ago...which I'm still trying to use it efficiently. I just have to spend time with IT dept. to download appropriate apps for me to maximize use of it. I actually find the iPad very limiting from a job work productivity : I can't type as fast on that virtual keyboard, etc. Frankly I think there is overhype on iPad from a work productivity standpoint.

Smilingcat, maybe I haven't dug around deeply in computers over the past decade, but it just seems computer operating systems have become way more complex than the days ...of DOS and Windows first generation. I used to be able to do simple troubleshoot. 20 yrs. ago I don't ever recall such a mess of hook-up cords compared to .....now.

Yes, I know go wireless. But I won't go put all my personal stuff on a cloud. I want it on my hard drive or portable hard drive/storage devices.

The computers at my house are Brewer's department.
The computers at work are managed by IT.

I get along with whatever they give me and do what they tell me to do, and try to avoid doing the things they tell me not to do.

Truthfully? We go crazy trying to figure out why the stupid thing crapped out and finally in tears, we buy new ones hoping it doesn't blow up like the previous one. I got tired of Windows and all the problems it gave me and bought an iMac w/dual processors. Haven't had any problems since then.

Sometimes the later operating systems just aren't able to process today's information. It overloads and stalls out. I did install Windows XP on my iMac hard drive and haven't had problems when I boot over. I only need XP for some quilting software and my embroidery machine software.

You don't have to have tons of apps on your iPad. I have maybe 15. A couple of e-readers, Jump (allows you to use your iPad to remotely use your computer from another room..great for messing with the people sitting there and wondering why the mouse is moving all over the screen), a couple of games and some other stuff. I have a wireless keyboard that I use for my iPad for easier typing. It really wasn't made for doing long term work. I know they make a pen for it which really helps with the typing problems.

I plan on keeping my Mac until it dies. No need for the "latest and greatest" for me. My cell phone is outdated technology-wise but as long as it works, no need to upgrade.

If yours is working, no reason to upgrade unless you are so fed up with it you need something else.

Well, I know a few people who would say what many here spend on bikes and accessories as wasteful. :-) I figure if you're passionate about it and it brings you pleasure then go for it.

I spend no more than 200 on a new phone every year and about 500 on a new computer every 3 years. Not to mention i sell my old phone to fund my new phone so it's a wash. Personally, I love all things tech and I don't think that kind of spending is unreasonable for something I truly enjoy. Generally it's cheaper to buy new after 3 years than to upgrade parts or fix a computer.

Yeah, if it makes you happy and you plan for it so it doesn't break the budget, then have fun! Good point about the spending on bikes...i don't buy bikes often, but I do go on bike trips alot. While not wasteful, some people might see that as frivolous. We all can choose how to spend our money and our time, so rock on!

I too update ever three years or so with a desktop. It helps that technology is a business expense for me. Over the years, we have had a lot of computers around here. When my son was at home, plus two home businesses, we had at least 7, old and new, desktops and laptops.

When it comes to aging technology, there's a point where you cross the threshold of keeping something because it works, and being inefficient. There's a point where the older systems won't run program updates, or the damn thing is so slow it's just frustrating to use it. The mechanics of the computer might run fine, but the processes just slow down. Even if all you do is send email and check the web, sloooooow is horrible.

What we do here, now that my son isn't here to build systems for us, is get custom build desktops. I would never, ever buy a computer from a box store. They are loaded with so much junk programing that it's much slower than it needs to be right from the start. It takes a lot of time and know-how to delete it all. So, we just skip that part. I have a very good relationship with our local computer place. We get bare naked systems with only an OS, security and a few base programs, and have very stable systems with very few problems.

If any of you don't have some kind of backup, well, if you lose stuff in this day and age you should know better. We have an off site backup service for $50/year... that is so cheap and it's great insurance. If a computer does go down, ( and they do on occasion) you can retrieve files and use them right away on a different system. We use off site as a second hard drive isn't much good if your house burns down.

Talk to me about security in offsite backup. We're very reluctant to store anything sensitive in the cloud. Taking the second HD to the safe deposit box is a PITA.

(Long term stuff like DH's photo archive is on Blu-Ray discs and that just gets added to, so that's easy enough to store offsite.)

The cloud being apple's system, or the cloud, as offsite in general? I don't know much about it except the service we use caters to businesses.

Cloud computingand storage is secure if you use Amazon and few other "Tech" kind of services. Not so sure about the cheaper cloud storage places.

Amazon EC2 service is good
IBM Cloud storage service is good
HP cloud storage service is good

But they all want real money!

And for more general storage check this site out
http://www.thetop10bestonlinebackup.com/cloud-storage

I've heard good things about drop box and hear quite a bit about carbonite. Never used them so can't tell you if its super good or not.

we've used Carbonite for years. It has saved our butts serveral times when a hard drive fails. Which they do.